Tripod



Nov. 6, 1945.

c. E. SIMPSON I I 2,388,296

TRIPOD Filed Nov. 5, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1" El arefice E Simpson @54 AMWJIZMW Nov. 6, 1945. c. E. SIMPSON 2,388,296

TRIPOD Filed Nov. 5, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Clarence E- Simpson WWWPatented Nov. 6, 1945 stares (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, asamended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me ofany royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a support, more particularly to a tripodsupport for automatic firearms.

In the past the most common fault of tripod supports for objects such asautomatic weapons was the inability to adjust such supports to bring thehorizontal axis of the weapon into a truly level plane. This was largelydue to the rough terrain on which the tripod is usually set up. If thetop of the tripod is not in a horizontal plane the gun mounted on thetripod will then be canted to one side or the other making it difficultfor the firer to properly align the sights of the gun.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedadjustable support for an object.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tripod support havingan adjustable head to eliminate canting of the objects supported.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects andadvantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferredembodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the tripod showing the legs in theextended position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail longitudinal sectional View taken along theplane 22 of Fig. 5 of the tripod head showing the manner of mounting andsecuring the yoke to the head.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a side view partly in section of the yoke shown mounted in thetripod head.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the bushing.

Fig. '7 is a' front elevational view of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail view showing the bushing and yoke in a cantedposition.

Fig. 9 is a top elevational detail View showing the collar and flangemounted on the tripod head and the bushing inserted in the taperedsquare axial hole of the tripod head.

Fig. 10 is a' bottom elevational view of the looking nut.

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of Fig. 11 showing the lockingserrations.

There is shown in assembled relation in Figs.

legs 2, 3 and A, a pivoting bushing 5 and a yoke 6 for mounting theweapon. The head I comprises a body portion or base member I, a collar 8and a flange 9. Body portion I is a cylindrical member which has anintegral flange II! on the lower end thereof. The interior of the bodyportion I is provided with a square, tapered axial hole II. The largeend of hole II is on the bottom of body portion 1. The bottom of bodyportion I is arcuately shaped to form a partial cylindrical surface I2.On such surface there are provided a series of V-shaped serrations 35for a purpose to be described. A concave partial cylindrical surface I3having a common axis with surface I2 is formed in the top of bodyportion I and is intersected by hole I I.

A collar 8 surrounds the body portion 1 and abuts the integral flange IUof body portion I. Collar 8 is provided with three integral bifurcatedlugs Hi. Each lug I4 has a rounded end I4. The bifurcated lugs I4 arelocated about collar 8 in such a manner as to provide the best angularposition of the tripod legs for proper distribution of the recoil forcesof the firearm. Collar 8 is suitably pinned to the body portion I tosecure the collar in place. A flange 9 is placed about body portion Iand abuts the collar 8 and is secured to the body portion 1 preferablyby welding. Flange 9 (Fig. 3) is provided with three integral lugs I5having the same spacing as the integral bifurcated lugs I4 on collar 8and each lug I5 is mounted directly above each of the correspondingbifurcated lugs I4. The lugs I5 on flange 9 are provided to act as astop for the tripod legs 2, 3 and 4 as will be described.

Bushing 5 comprises an enlarged integral head I6, a rectangular stemportion I1 and a cylindrical end I8. The head I6 of bushing 5 is ofrectangular configuration. Two partial cylindrical sur- 7 faces I9 whichconform to the partial cylindrical surface I3 of body portion 1 areprovided on opposite sides of bushing 5 underneath head I6. An axialthreaded hole 2I is provided in the stem portion I! of bushing 5. Thethreaded hole 2| communicates with a semi-circular recess 20 in the topof head I6 of bushing 5. Recess 20 extends to one edge of head I6 and aT-slot Zita is provided around the walls of recess 20. .The cylindricalend I8 of bushing 5 is threaded to receive a locking nut 22.

An elevation nut 23 is provided to raise and lower the yoke 6 to bedescribed. The elevating nut 23 is provided with an integral hub portion24 shaped to lie in recess 20 and to engage T-slot 20a 1, 2 and 3 atripod comprising mainly a head I,

in order to secure elevating nut 23 to bushing 5.

An aXial threaded hole 25 having the same threads as axial hole 2| isprovided in elevating nut 23. The nut 23 is assembled in position bysliding it into the recess 20 from the open end thereof.

The bushing is inserted in the square hole I l in body portion 1 and alocking washer 26 is placed about the square body portion ll of bushing5. V-shaped'serrations 21 corresponding to V-shaped serrations 35 areprovided on the top arcuate surface of locking washer 2B. The arcuatesurface of washer 26 conforms to the arcuate surface I 2 of body portion'1. The washer 26 is placed adjacent body portion 1 so that the V-shaped serrations 21 engage serrations 35 on body 1. Locking nut 22 isthen screwed onto the threaded portion of end 18 of bushing 5 to lockthe bushing in position as will be more fully described.

The yoke 6 which comprises a U-shaped bracket 29 and a threaded stem 30is then threaded into axial hole 2! in bushing, 5. The threaded stem 30is preferably integrally form-ed on the bottom of bracket 29 and islocated in the center thereof. In each of the upstanding arms of U-shaped bracket 29 a horizontal hole 3| is provided to receive-atrunnion pin (not shown) on which the firearm is mounted.

The legs 2, 3 and 4 are placed between the bifurcated lugs 14 on collar8 and are secured thereto by bolts 32. The legs 2, 3 and 4 are tubularmembers, one end of each having a solid end 33 suitably shaped to fitbetween the lugs l4 of collar 8 and to engage each of the rounded endsI4 of lugs 14. A shoulder 34 is provided on each of the solid ends 33which abuts against lugs IS on flange 9 when the legs 2, 3 and 4 are inthe extended position as shown in Fig. 1. In this position the head I ofthe tripod is raised a convenient distance above the ground so that theweapon may be comfortably fired by the firer.

Suitable spade feet 36 are welded to each of the' legs 2, 3 and 4 toassist in anchoring the tripod to the ground. The legs 2 and 3 arepreferably longer than the leg 4 and extend to the rear when the tripodis set up for' firing. The angular dise placement between legs 2 and 3is comparatively small to afford more rigid support against the thrustof the recoil. Leg 4 extends forwardly for the front support of thetripod.

When the tripod is set up in operating position as shown in Fig. 1, theyoke 6 may be conveniently elevated or depressed by turning theelevating nut 23. The head I of the tripod may be quickly andconveniently brought into a horizontal plane by unloosening locking nut22 which brings lock washer 26 out of engagement with serrations 35 andthe bushing 5 may then be pivoted within the tapered square hole I!until the yoke 6 is in a horizontal plane. When the yoke is positionedwhere desired bushing 5 is then readily locked in place by tighteninglock nut 22 which brings lock washer 26 firmly against serrations 35thereby securing yoke 6 against dis-. 7

tripod may be conveniently folded into a compact.

unit thereby facilitating carrying of the tripod.

Obviously the improved tripod is equally applicable for adjustablysupporting objects other than firearms.

I claim:

1. A support for an object such as an automatic firearm comprising incombination, a cylindrical basememb-er having a plurality of legspivotally secured thereto, said base member being provided with aconcave partial cylindrical upper surface with a vertical axial openingextending therethrough and through the base member, a bushing mountedwithin said opening and provided with a part having a convex partialcylindrical surface arranged to engage said concave partial cylindricalsurface whereby said bushing is pivotally supported in said base memberfor movement about the axis of said concave partial cylindrical surface,means for locking said bushing in a plurality of pivotal positions withrespect to said base member, and a support member for said objectmounted within said bushing and adapted to be elevated or depressedvertically with respect to said bushing.

2. A support for an object such as an automatic firearm comprising incombination, a cylindrica1 base member having a plurality of legspivotally secured thereto, said base member being provided with aconcave partial cylindrical upper surface with a vertical axial openingextending therethrough and through the base member, a bushing mountedwithin said opening having an upper part provided with a relativelyconvex partial cylindrical surface arranged to engage' said concavepartial cylindrical surface whereby said bushing is pivotally supportedin said base member for movement about the axis of said concave partialcylindrica1 surface and having a lower part projecting below said basemember, a support .member for said object mounted within said bushingand adapted tob e elevated or depressed vertically with respect to saidbushing, a nut threadedly secured to said lower part of said bushing,and a locking washer between said nut and the lower surface of said basemember.

3. A support for an object such as an automatic firearm comprising incombination, a cy-' lindrical base member having a plurality of legspivotally secured thereto and provided with a first arcuate surface onits upper side and a second arcuate surface on its lower 'side,' saidarcuate surfaces having a common axis and said base member beingprovided with a continuous opening which extends vertically between andconnects said surfaces, said second arcuate surface being provided witha plurality of Serrations, a bushing extending into said opening andhaving a portion projecting below said'second arcuate surface, saidbushing being providedwith an arcuate surface for engaging said firstarcu ate surface whereby the bushing is pivotally supported on the basemember, a support member for engaging said object mounted Within saidbushing, means for vertically elevating or depressingsaid support memberwith respect to said bushing, and a locking member mounted on saidprojecting portion of the bushing below said second arcuate surface andprovided-with an upper arcuate surface which normally e s t e Saserrations on said second arcuate surface. I

4. A support as set forth in claim -1 wherein said bushing is formed tohave a substantially rectangular upper head portion and a cylindricallower end portion and said locking means in-' eludes a nut threadedlysecured to said lower end portion of the bushing.

5. A support for an object such as an automatic firearm comprising incombination, a cylindrical base member having a plurality of legspivotally secured thereto and provided with a first arcuate surface onits upper side and a second arcuate surface on its lower side, saidarcuate surfaces having a common axis and said base member beingprovided with a continuous and substantially rectangularupwardly-tapering axial opening which extends vertically between andconnects said surfaces, a bushing extending into said opening and havinga substantially rectangular upper head portion normally disposed abovesaid first surface and a, cylindircal lower portion which projects belowsaid second arcuate surface of the bushin said head portion beingprovided with an arcuate surface which normally engages said firstarcuate surface whereby the bushing is pivotally supported in said basemember for movement relative to the axis of said opening, said secondarcuate surface being provided with a plurality of serrations, a lockingmember mounted on said cylindrical portion of the bushing and providedwith an upper arcuate serrated surface which normally engagestheserrations on said second arcuate surface, a support member for engagingsaid object mounted within said bushing, and a nut engaged with saidhead portion and adapted to elevate or depress said support member withrespect to said bushing.

CLARENCE E. SIIWPSON.

